Cu Oxides as Catalysts for the Electrochemical Reduction of CO2

The emerging need of sustainable energy has driven widespread research into the electro-catalyzed chemical reduction of CO2 into valuable products for energy application following a more sustainable route alternative to the traditional ones based on the exploitation of fossil sources [1]. However, the electro-catalyzed CO2 conversion into fuels at large scale is still strongly affected by several issues such as the selection of the most promising catalysts to obtain the desired among several products and the optimization of process parameters for industrial applications. In this context, copper oxides (i.e., CuO, Cu2O) have emerged as promising candidates for the catalytic reduction of CO2 [2, 3]. Hence, this study explores the synthesis, characterization and application of Cu oxides as electro-catalysts for the CO2 reduction. Co-precipitation syntheses were explored as catalysts production methods. The most promising Cu-oxides were characterized, evidencing their morphological, structural and physicochemical properties compared to commercial reference substrates. Finally, electrochemical tests were performed evidencing promising catalytic performances. An effective screening of the catalytic properties necessary for maximizing the catalytic performances in the electro-reduction of CO2 was achieved, thus making these catalytic systems promising and scalable substrates for industrial applications.